Cathy Freeman, byname of Catherine Astrid Salome Freeman, (born February 16, 1973, Mackay, Queensland, Australia), Australian sprinter who excelled in the 400-metre dash and who in 2000 became the first Australian Aboriginal person to win an individual Olympic gold medal.

Who was the first Aboriginal Australian to win a gold medal?

At the 1962 Perth Commonwealth Games, Percy Hobson became the first indigenous athlete to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games for Australia. Aged 20 years at the time, Hobson took victory in the high jump clearing the bar at 6'11'' (2.11 m), setting a new Commonwealth Games record.

Who was the first indigenous Australian Olympian?

Francis (Frank) Roy Roberts is a Bundjalung man and the first Aboriginal boxer to represent Australia at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games at just 19 years of age. He is one of Australia's first Aboriginal Olympians.

What is the name of an Aboriginal Australian who won a gold medal and lit the Olympic flame at the Sydney 2000 Olympics?

On 15 September 2000 Aboriginal athlete Cathy Freeman lit the Olympic flame in the spectacular opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games. Ten days later she won the gold medal in the women's 400 metres race, achieving her greatest goal.

Who was the first Australian to win a medal in the Olympics?

The first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in Athens from 5 to 10 April 1896. Edwin Flack, an accountant and Australasian champion runner, is considered Australia's first Olympian. He won the 800-metre and 1500-metre sprints, took part in the marathon and won a bronze medal in doubles tennis.

When was Australia's first Olympics?

Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in Melbourne that took place Nov. 22–Dec. 8, 1956.

Was Cathy Freeman a torch-bearer?

Australian runner Cathy Freeman will be the first international torch-bearer for the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, to be held in Athens from 13 to 29 August 2004. The torch will be lit in Olympia, (Peloponnese) Greece, in spring 2004.

Is Cathy Freeman married with children?

In October 2006 Freeman announced her engagement to Melbourne stockbroker James Murch. They married at Spray Farm on the Bellarine Peninsula on 11 April 2009. Freeman gave birth to her first child in 2011.

Did Cathy Freeman hold the Olympic torch?

In 2000, 13,400 torch-bearers carried the flame. Cathy Freeman's job was to take the torch from the final torch-bearer and use it to light the Olympic flame that would burn throughout the Games. The organisers chose Freeman because she was young, female, Indigenous and very popular in Australia.

Who is Australia's most successful Olympian?

Ian Thorpe is Australia's most successful Olympian of all time with a total of nine medals, (five gold, three silver and one bronze medal) from Sydney and Athens combined.

Who is the most famous indigenous Australian athlete?

1) Cathy Freeman

She was the first Indigenous sportsperson to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal and is the all-time sixth fastest woman in the world over 400m. Freeman was named an Australian sports legend in 2011.

Who is the Aboriginal on the 50 dollar note?

The $50 banknote features the Acacia humifusa and the Black Swan ( Cygnus atratus ). The banknote celebrates David Unaipon, an inventor and Australia's first published Aboriginal author, and Edith Cowan, the first female member of an Australian parliament.

Is Nova Peris daughter an Olympian?

You may not know athlete Jessica Peris, but you will have heard of her very famous mum! The 31-year-old is the daughter of Aussie icon and former Olympic gold medalist, Nova Peris and is one of the constants set to dominate on SAS Australia 2021.

Where is Cathy Freeman now 2021?

Cathy along with her husband James Murch and their daughter Ruby (born in 2011) reside in Melbourne.

Who passed Cathy Freeman the torch?

Twenty years ago tonight, Debbie Flintoff-King rounded the bend at Sydney Olympic Park and handed the most precious flame in the world to the one and only Cathy Freeman.

Why did Cathy Freeman wear a hood?

"The reason every part of her body was covered up was to reduce drag," Harber explained. "The hood was key. You would never see a speed skater skating without a hood. If you've got hair, you're slowing yourself down.

Who lit the Australian Olympic flame?

Catherine Astrid Salome Freeman, OAM (known as Cathy Freeman) (born 16 February 1973) is an Australian Aboriginal sprinter who is particularly associated with the 400 metres running race. She became the Olympic champion for 400 m in the 2000 Sydney games, at which she lit the Olympic Flame.

Who won the first ever Olympic gold medal?

First Modern Champion

On 6 April 1896, the American James Connolly won the triple jump to become the first Olympic champion in more than 1,500 years.

How many medals did Australia win in the first Olympics?

In 1920, the first Australia-only Olympic team competed at the Antwerp Games. Australia sent a 13-member team winning two silver medals and a bronze.

Who was the first Australian woman to win an Oscar?

Suzanne Baker was the first Australian woman to win an Oscar, which was given to her in 1977 for Best Animated Short for Leisure.

What was the first Olympics Australia competed in?

The Melbourne 1956 Games was the first time Australia hosted the Olympics.